Arrival

I had heard that arriving in India was overwhelming but when I landed at 1:00am last Sunday morning, I was too tired to notice anything except how apt my driver was at navigating the traffic on a major highway with no lanes and seemly no traffic laws. I didn't even find the heat and humidity to be overpowering; until I woke up at 8:00am on Sunday, damp with sweat and parched from 23 hours of travel and 7 hours of sleeping in a sauna. 

Then it hit me. 

My first walk around the block almost gave me a stroke and I immediately returned home to take a nap. I don't think I have stopped sweating once, even during my twice daily cold showers. 

Admittedly, I had Pizza Hut for my first dinner: a personal size "veggie lover" with a 7-up. I ate it alone in the flat whilst perusing Facebook. It was not my proudest moment. I think here is a good time to mention that India is the first country I have been too not dominated by Coke-a-Cola but, instead Pepsi co. Majorly bummed. Have I mentioned I have yet to see the sun as a result of the pollution?

I promise this blog will not regress into a pre-teen's diary of all that is wrong with the world (like the lack of Coke products at the local dukāna). I'm a grown woman, I can drink Pepsi.

I traveled to India to participate in a ongoing, collaborative research project through the Global Health Affairs (GHA) program at Korbel (JKSIS) and 3 in-country organizations: New Concept Information Systems, Jaishankar Memorial Center and the Gender Resource Center (GRCs) in Jasola, a slum community in south east New Delhi.

India is responsible for 20% of all maternal deaths worldwide, a majority of these deaths are preventable. Pregnant women living in slums are at high risk for pregnancy-related complications and death. A recent census reported that 64 million people in India currently reside in slums and this number will continue to grow over the immediate future. In New Delhi, 15% of the population live in shanty-towns. 

The universal healthcare system in India can be difficult to navigate. The New Delhi government recognized this barrier to access and implemented the Mission Convergence program to facilitate better coordination and accessibility across agencies and sectors. Previously existing GRCs are now incorporated in this model and each GRC acts as a primary channel for utilization of services and schemes. There are 127 GRCs throughout Delhi. GRCs in Delhi are essentially community centers that serve to empower women through programs like literacy and vocation training; they also serve as Suvidha Kendras (health facilities). 

The GRC in Jasola serves approximately 20,000 households. 
 

As a result of previous research, a pilot project has been developed: community-based management and technology for intrapartum health. Under this intervention, among other inititaives, community mobilizers (CMs) from the GRC will be outfitted with palmtop devices to (1) use GIS for health referrals during home visits and mobile clinics and for (2) real-time data collection, potentially linked to patient records and (3) M&E. 
 

My research partner and I have been tasked with "Filling in the gaps" before pilot roll-out next summer (expected 2014). Ultimatly we will be creating a manual that documents current practices (particularly related to data collection and dissemination) and opportunities to improve.  This applied research will include qualitative and quantitative analyses. A qualitative assessment of challenges and opportunities will be conducted to improve system monitoring and responsiveness for CMs and ways to further incorporate community members into system design. 
 

savāla?